As we approach the 2016-17 season, we’re previewing what’s ahead for each of the 30 NHL teams. Next on the list: the Carolina Hurricanes.
MAIN SUMMER HEADLINES
• Hurricanes trade for Blackhawks forwards Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen
• Hurricanes sign goaltender Cam Ward for two more seasons
• Hurricanes sign centre Victor Rask for six seasons, $24 million
• Hurricanes sign GM Ron Francis to contract extension
• Hurricanes extend head coach Bill Peters through 2018
Head coach: Bill Peters
GM: Ron Francis
Team payroll: $56.45 million ($73 million salary cap)
2015-16 Record: 35-31-16 (Sixth in Metro)
GF: 198 (28th in NHL)
GA: 226 (18th in NHL)
Result: Missed playoffs by 10 points
Key acquisitions: Bryan Bickell, Teuvo Teravainen, Lee Stempniak, Viktor Stalberg, Matt Tennyson
Key departures: James Wisniewski, Riley Nash
Rookies to watch: Sebastian Aho is a talented right winger, who scored 20 goals and 25 assists last year with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound prospect is ready to bring his smart two-way play and passing ability to North America. He’s already had some seasoning on the small ice after recently participating in the World Cup of Hockey for Team Finland.
Forward Sergey Tolchinsky, who had 14 goals and 22 assists in 72 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last season, might be ready to show his stuff at the NHL level this year.
Carolina will have a successful season if…
Forwards Jeff Skinner, Teuvo Teravainen and Victor Rask have career years.
The 24-year-old Skinner is healthy and ready to build on a 28-goal season. He’s flirted with the 35-goal mark twice in his young career and the Canes are going to need him to jump over it this year.
Teravainen, 22, has all-world talent and is ready to show it.
In Chicago, the plucky Finn was stuck behind some of the best players in the world in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. In Carolina, he’ll have a chance to play big minutes and be a key contributor on the power play.
Centre Victor Rask, 23, is coming off a 21-goal, 27-assist season that led the Hurricanes to offer him a long-term extension. The team will be counting on him to fulfill his end of the bargain.
The Hurricanes don’t have much hope of making the post-season, but good seasons for these three players in particular gives them hope for the future.
Carolina will have an unsuccessful season if…
The strong possession game they played last season falls by the wayside.
The Hurricanes may have finished 25th in the standings last season, but head coach Bill Peters instituted a style that saw them rank ninth in the possession metrics.
The Hurricanes are developing, depending on a lot of young players to fill big roles. If the team strays from the style Peters successfully implemented last season, it could hurt that process.
